The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has cleared the air on the ward-robe allowance for the members of the National Assembly, saying each senator is entitled to N506,600 annually and not N8.64 billion as reported in the media.
“Chairman of Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission was in my office to clarify wardrobe allowance,” Mr. Saraki wrote on twitter Wednesday. “Amount is N506,600 per Senator.”
Mr. Saraki, in response to the media reports that the N460 senators and members of the House of Representatives would receive a whopping N8.64 billion, quoted his interview with BBC in his tweeter handle that “a body responsible for setting up the salaries and allowances was looking into the matter and would publish details of the remuneration on its website.”
Stating that the legislature would be accountable to the people, the senate president said it was not true that each senator would be paid N8.64billion as reported by two Nigerian newspapers.
Speaking earlier while receiving the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Elias Mbam and his team in his office, Mr. Saraki said the Commission is charged with fixing of remunerations to public office holders and advise the media to be more accurate in their reporting.
He warned government agencies failing in remitting Federal Government revenue to the Federation account saying government will no longer condone such mismanagement act.
According to him, non-compliance by agencies of government had brought major setback in the processes of governance.
Mr. Saraki reiterated the support of the Senate in bringing back justice to any erring agency that indulges in diverting government revenue to illegal channel adding, “Monetary revenue and allocation is a serious challenge to our economy. Though, diversification of economy is very important but is not an overnight issue. We must block every leakage in government revenue.
“We made campaign promises to Nigerians and we must fulfill all our pledges. It cannot be business as usual. We will do everything within our capacity to elevate the living standard of Nigerians.”
Earlier, Mr. Mbam said the agency have always enjoyed cordial relationship with the National Assembly while calling for continued working partnership with the view to enhance their effectiveness.
Mr. Mbam condemned the recent media report that exaggerated the wardrobe allowances of Senators and members of the House of Representatives saying, that wardrobe allowance is 25 percent of the basic salary which when broken down amounts to N506, 600 per legislator, per annum.
He advised that the agency operates a functional website where information concerning the day-to-day activities of the agency is published.
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